Chapter 1

I was an international student at the University of California. My family had money, so I didn't live on campus. I had a mansion not far from school and a driver hired to chauffeur me back and forth every day.

That day, the moment I stepped out of the school gates, the conspicuous Rolls-Royce was already parked out front, drawing stares.

I opened the car door, only to find a woman sitting in the passenger seat, caked in heavy makeup, her pungent perfume filling my car.

I pinched my nose in annoyance.

"Damian, what's going on? Who is she?"

Damian turned from the driver's seat with an apologetic look and handed me an iced Americano.

"Sorry, miss. Tina's got a party to get to, and it's on the way. I'll drop her off real quick. Won't hold you up, I promise."

A year ago, I'd hired Damian as my driver because he seemed dependable and handled a car well.

I'd always known that Damian secretly used my car on his own time. But he was careful about it, kept it in immaculate condition, so I never said anything.

But today, he'd actually let his girlfriend sit in my seat.

Tina seemed to be seeing me for the first time. She frowned and jabbed a finger in my direction.

"Babe, who is this broke student? Why is she getting in your car? Tell her to leave. I'm gonna be late."

I shot Damian a stunned look. Had he never told her this car was mine?

Damian darted me a warning glance, signaling me to move to the back seat.

"Honey, don't get upset. I know this girl. She just asked me for a ride home today, that's all."

Damian drove fast, dropping off his girlfriend first before taking me home.

After I got out, he apologized profusely. "I'm sorry, miss. My girlfriend, she's a bit materialistic. She thinks this car is mine. It wasn't easy winning her over, and I didn't want her looking down on me for being poor, so I lied."

"Fine. Watch yourself. There won't be a next time."

"Yes, miss." Damian then pulled out a movie ticket. "Didn't you mention wanting to see that new romance? I already got the ticket. It's tonight. The chef at home has dinner ready, so you can eat and head out."

I took the ticket and smiled at him. The moment the Rolls-Royce disappeared down the road, my smile turned cold.

I tore the ticket to shreds, tossed it in the trash, and headed to a bar nearby.

I ordered a cocktail and sipped it slowly. Before long, a sharply dressed man walked over and sat down beside me.

"Sorry, principessa. I kept you waiting."

I nodded. He pulled a manila envelope from inside his jacket and handed it to me.

"This is Damian's activity log from last week. Nothing out of the ordinary."

I scanned the documents quickly, mentally reviewing how Damian had behaved around me the previous week. Nothing worth noting.

I took a sip of my drink and rubbed my temples. "Could we really have the wrong person?"

"Impossible, principessa. The Don was confirmed killed by someone from the Black Serpent, and the only Black Serpent assassin who vanished after it happened is Damian."

"I've been watching him for so long, but all he does every day is drive me around. He hasn't done anything suspicious or met with any strangers. If this keeps up..."

My mind drifted back to that day, when I'd come home thrilled, clutching a freshly signed partnership deal with the European trade council.

But when I pushed open the door, I found my father lying in a pool of blood, long dead. A single bullet between his eyes, his body riddled with wounds.

My mother had passed when I was young. My father raised me on his own. The Family kept him busy, but he never missed a moment with me.

I was devastated. After that, I went into hiding, stepped away from Family business, and posed as a student while secretly investigating my father's murder. But a year had passed, and aside from a vague lead pointing to Damian as the killer, I had almost nothing.

My second-in-command could see my frustration. "Lois, don't lose heart. Stay the course, and the truth will come out."

Capitano, my second-in-command, had been my father's most loyal man, by his side for decades. He was practically a second father to me. After my father was killed, I'd sworn an oath before the Family elders to uncover the truth, and Capitano had brought a good number of people to help me.

I drained my glass and got ready to leave.

Capitano's phone buzzed. He checked it, and his face lit up.

"Principessa, we've got a new lead. Guess who Damian's girlfriend is. She's an illegitimate daughter of the Milovich family."

I stood up from my chair. "Milovich. Our biggest rival family. My father clashed with them plenty of times while he was alive, and they've always been my prime suspects. If we follow this thread, we'll find something for sure."

Capitano and I exchanged a look. He understood what I meant and quickly slipped out of the bar.